Spreader.



Y tire va ve.

p Le Y.HENRY P. KRAFT, OF RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

SPREADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 191

Application led March 19, 191?. Serial No. 155,819.

Taall whom t may concern:

Bc it known that I, HENRY l). KRAFT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Ridgewood, in the county of Ben gen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spreaders, of which the following is a specication.

r his invention relates to spreaders for pneumatic tires, and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

Such spreader-s are used atA the inner ends of pneumatic tire valves, and are adapted to engage the inner sides of the pneumatic casing or shoe to prevent creeping, and to assist in holding the casing in place on the rim. In certain tires of small dianu-tters the inner edges of the shoe approach each other closely, and the spreader' hence must be made narrow, with the resuit that the space between the upturned anges of the spreader is not suliicient to aeconiniodate the foot or inner ilange of the The latter cannot be successfully reduced since this would ilnperil its connection with the inner tube. According io the present invention I provideY a construction in wliichthe spreader is peculiarly shaped so as to provide a firm bearing for the .toot of the valve, while retaining' its external dimensions. The invention also includes certain other features of construction which vwill be hereinafter more fully n the accompanying drawings, which illustrate rile present ention,-

Figure l a crossseetienal view of a tire, showing the spreafer and faire in place.

Fig. section.

tached.

Fig. l is a top or plan view ofthe latter.

Referring to the drawings, let l'indicate a wheel telly having a rim B providtljvitli flanges C (Y which are adapted to engage the beads D D of the tire shoe.

a. longitudinal or circumferential is an end view of the ,spreader de- Y glie spreader.

Il indimatesV the ordinary tire valve having an inner foot or flange F which is 'clamped to the inner tube G o the pneumatic tire by means of a nut H, the spreader I being interposed between the nut and the ange F. The spreader. usually comprises a bottom portion J' and side flanges K K', as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4. y

When the tire shoe is of small diameter, a narrow spreader must be used, and in this type of spreader the side flanges K K" approach each other so closely at the bottom that there is not room between them for theI flange F of the tire valve. Consequently it has been the custom to interpose a washer between the flange F and the bottom of According to the present invention I provide a spreader having a central portion which is raised above the bottom portion J to such au extent that the valve flange F can rest securely upon it without rocking. This enablesme to avoid theA use of a separate washer between the spreader and the valve, thus cheapening the cost of construction. Ordinarily a lining of brass, such as M, is used for the purpose of providing a brass part for contacting with the underside of the inner tube, it being' found that a better joint is made with such tube if a metal, such as brass, is used. The spreader is usually constructed of sheet steel, and according to my invention the raised portion I. is stamped up from its center to an approiriate height, so that it lies well above bottom of the spreader.

llilliile I have shown and described one forni of the invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited .-.iereto, since various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

W'hat I claim iszl. A spreader having a bottoni wail and side fianges, the side lianges converging 'toward the liottom'n'all, and the bottom wall being of less width than the diameter ot a .valve foot or fla-nge, and such bottom wall having n; portion raised above the level thereof to an ex'tent sullcleut to .lm-m a,

' bearing fol' such fooi 0K' flange.

2. A. spreader formeel. of stamped Sheet 5 metal, having 2L bottom Wall and side enges, the eile limoges converging towa'd' the 'bottom wall and the bottom Wall being of less width than zlle'fllameter of e valve foot or flange, emi such bottom Wall bev ing u portion stamped up above the level thereof 10 to an extent suioent to form a bearing for such foot or ange.

ln Wtess whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

' HENRY P. KRAFT. 

